Paul in the fifties

I probably Should Have Bought some of Paul's music years ago, but incredible as it may seem, this is the first collection of his music I've Actually owned. Apart from his big hit Diana (Which is featured here as well as Regularly turning up on multi-artist compilations) I do not think I'd heard any of his Actually other music prior to buying this set. I had not really thought about what to expect the rest of the music here to sound like, but I would have expected to find some rock'n'roll (he wrote It does not matter anymore for Buddy Holly) but there's none here , Instead, we get to a lot of Treated musicthat really dates from at Earlier era - the swing music of the thirties and forties, alongwith a French-themed album. I love that music too, so I'm happy with that, albeit a little surprised.

Here, you'll find Paul's first three albums, plus the singles That Were not so released as album tracks. THUS, all of Paul's British and American hits from the fifties are here, but the major part of this set is devoted to Paul's early albums. The first and third album each occupy the first twelve tracks of a CD. The only one of Paul's singles among them is Diana, while the remaining tracks include plenty of familiar songs Including Secret love, I've got my love to keep me warm, Love letters in the sand, You belong to me, Red Sails in the sunset, Side by side, Your Cheating Heart and jambalaya among others. It Seems That the record label wanted to market the album to an older albums to an older audience, leaving the singles for teenagers.

The French-themed album occupies the remaining tracks on CD 1. Many of the songs here are of French origin, though there are so some American songs with French themes. One of Paul's singles, My heart sings what itself a song of French origin and provided the album's inspiration. This album CLEARLY shows Paul's love of French music, Which Came to the fore in the late sixties When He Took Claude Francois' Comme d'habitude hit and wrote English lyrics for it, calling his version My way.

The second half of CD 2 is occupied by singles That Were not included in the three albums featured on this set. Stylistically different from the album tracks, there is quiet a lot of great music here, though the unlikely trio of Paul Anka, Johnny Nash (still some years away from his own big hits) and George Hamilton IV (who had a career as a letter pop singer before settling for a country music career to Which he was better suited) have all delivered better music separately than together on They Do Teen Commandments of love. Perhaps the pick of thesis singles would be put your head on my shoulder, Lonely Boy and You are my destiny, though all are Overshadowed by Diana.

These days, Paul is remembered for Diana (Which he wrote) and for My Way (Which many people give him full credit for writing, When he is only Entitled to part of the credit) but this compilation shows him to be a much more versatile performer.